Paul Garchek is a 51-year-old former Racine, Wisconsin, police officer who is accused of being the sunglasses-wearing Chase bank robber who also called in a Costco bomb threat.
Garchek is now charged with two felonies on accusations that he robbed a financial institution and made bomb threats, according to Wisconsin online court records. His address is given as Kenosha, Wisconsin. Bail was set at $250,000, court records show.
Garchek was once a D.A.R.E. officer, teaching kids about the dangers of drugs, according to photos published by the Wisconsin State Journal in 2015. He also worked as a SWAT officer during his 13 years at the Racine Police Department. His public service career derailed several years before he faced previous charges in 2014 for armed robbery of a Walmart and controlled substance fraud, court records show.
“This morning the Pleasant Prairie Police Detective Bureau is pleased to announce that they have made an arrest for the Chase Bank robbery & the bomb threat called into Costco last week, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, police wrote in an April 12 statement on Facebook.
Paul J. Garchek, from Kenosha, “was taken into custody with the help of the Kenosha Police Department Tactical Response Team & Special Investigations Unit (SIU) who assisted us with surveillance and the execution of a search warrant of Garchek’s home,” police wrote.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Paul Garchek Is Accused of Telling Police There Were ‘Tanks Like Explosive Bombs’ at Costco Before Demanding That Chase Bank Tellers Give him Money
Kenosha CountyPaul Garchek.
According to Kenosha County Eye, the anonymous caller dialed the non-emergency line at the Pleasant Prairie Police Department at about 12:30 p.m. “stating there was a bomb at Costco,” and adding, “I heard there were 3 or 4 tanks like explosive bombs at Costco, 94th Ave., in Pleasant Prairie.” No bombs were found, but Costco lost $327,038 as a result of the incident, Kenosha County Eye reported.
Police now say that was Garchek. He is accused of going into Chase Bank and saying, “Give me the f****** money! Hurry up,” and “Nobody move,” Kenosha County Eye reported, adding that he made off with $7,274. Police traced the bomb threat caller’s number to a burner phone but found that Garchek used the burner phone to call his real number, according to the site.
“Garchek will be charged with Terrorist Threats for CostCo and Robbery of a Financial Institution for Chase Bank (both felonies),” the police wrote. Court records show he was charged with the bank robbery and making a bomb threat.
“PPPD worked tirelessly over the past several days to piece these events together, identify a suspect, run surveillance and make an arrest. We’d like to thank the community for their support and the multiple tips that came in over the last week. Have a great weekend!!”
2. Pleasant Prairie Police Wrote That They Searched the Building With Dogs & Did Not ‘Locate Any Explosive Devices’ at the Costco
Pleasant Prairie PolicePolice say this Chase bank robber is Paul Garchek.
The Village of Pleasant Prairie Police Department “wants to inform the public that earlier today, there was a bomb threat reported at our local Costco. At approximately 12:31PM, the Pleasant Prairie Police Department received a potential bomb threat located at 7707 94th Ave.,” Pleasant Prairie police wrote on April 6. They released two photos of the bank robbery suspect.
“Officers responded in conjunction with Costco management, Pleasant Prairie Fire and Rescue, City of Kenosha Police Department, Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, Racine Police Department K-9, and the Allied Universal’s K-9 explosives detection dogs. The building was evacuated, and Officers secured the scene, including the surrounding parking lots,” police wrote.
“We want to assure everyone that officers on scene conducted a thorough search of the store and did not locate any explosive devices. Additionally, there are no active threats at this time to the public,” they wrote.
“During the same time frame, a bank robbery took place at Chase Bank within the Village of Pleasant Prairie, located at 9900 39th Ave. The suspect is described as an adult male, white between 40 and 50 years of age, 5’10-5’11, blue eyes, wearing a black sweater, black pants, black hat, surgical mask, black gloves and aviator style sunglasses,” police wrote.
“No one from the bank was injured as a result of the robbery. Attached to this announcement is an image of the suspect, anyone with information is encouraged to reach out to the Pleasant Prairie Dispatch Center at our non-emergent line of 262-694-7353,” they noted.
“The Pleasant Prairie Detective Bureau is actively investigating this incident. We want to extend our gratitude to the Costco staff and the public for their cooperation during this event. We also want to thank the Kenosha Sheriff’s Office, Kenosha Police Department, and Zion PD for their swift response and support,” police wrote.
According to WTMJ-TV, the evidence against Garchek includes “his cell phone, license plate and video surveillance.”
3. A Pleasant Prairie Police Officer Recognized Paul Garchek From Working With Him Years Ago on the Racine Police Department’s SWAT Team, Reports Say
The Pleasant Prairie officer who identified Garchek as the bank robbery suspect recognized him from working with Garchek on the Racine Police Department’s SWAT team, WTMJ reported. The court commissioner called the bank robbery/bomb threat “well-planned,” the television station reported.
According to WTGD, Garchek was a Racine police patrol officer from 1997 through 2010.
A 2002 article in the Racine Journal Times, accessed through Newspapers.com, was titled, “Meet Paul Garchek, the D.A.R.E. Officer of the Racine Police Department.”
The article says that Garchek is a 1991 graduate of Racine St. Catherine’s High School and received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1996.
4. Paul Garchek Once Said It Was Instrumental for Children ‘to Have Positive Contacts With Police,’ When He Was Selected as a D.A.R.E. Officer
Pleasant Prairie PoliceChase bank robbery suspect.
Garchek was hired by the Racine police in 1997, the article says, and was selected as a D.A.R.E. officer in 2000.
“Paul states that it is instrumental for the children of tomorrow to have positive contacts with the police and realize that the police are working with them, not against them,” the article says. It said that he was on the SWAT team, enjoyed golfing and was engaged. Court records show he later divorced.
His 2001 wedding announcement in the Racine Journal Times, also accessed through Newspapers.com, said he married a dental hygienist while working as a then 28-year-old Racine police officer. They were married in a chapel at a Las Vegas casino.
5. Paul Garchek Was Previously Accused of Stealing a Television From a Walmart Store
MugshotPaul Garchek
Garchek received three years in prison for the armed robbery at a local Walmart store in 2015, according to Wisconsin court records.
That same year he was accused of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, court records show. That’s also a felony. He received one year in prison on that charge.
He is also accused in a public assistance lien filed in court by Kenosha County Family Services Department of Children as well as an unemployment benefits compensation warrant.
According to Fox 6, he was accused of stealing a television from the Walmart store. He produced a handgun when confronted by a store employee, the television station reported in 2015.
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